Back to SPFs! Beginning with CeraVe Hydrating Mineral Sunscreen Broad Spectrum SPF 30!

I’m back to using SPF frequently. I just got bored and decided to, haha!

So! I began incorporating CeraVe Hydrating Mineral Sunscreen Broad Spectrum SPF 30 in my routine again. I have a bunch of sunscreens to use it. This was the first one I picked since I had 3 full bottles left. They haven’t expired yet. Thankfully! Here are my thoughts on this product.

CeraVe Hydrating Mineral Sunscreen Broad Spectrum SPF 30:

The texture of the sunscreen feels soft and smooth. I really like the texture and consistency of this product. It glides on the skin nicely, blends into the skin, and vanishes into the skin. Still, I don’t like the shade of the tint. It is very orange. That is the reason why I only wear it underneath other sunscreens or makeup. It’s just too darn orange on the face. It looks very unnatural. The product also transfers to surfaces like sinks, doors, chairs, and so on. It stains pretty bad. I’m glad it hasn’t made me break out in acne (yet). I hope it doesn’t. I just want to finish it and be done with it. I mean, it didn’t work for me. It could work for someone else. But, the amount of sunscreen that is needed for full coverage, doesn’t look good on the skin. I still can’t believe I wore it outdoors alone once upon a moon for months! HAHA! Awful. Only if they change the tint to look a bit more natural on the skin…

Overall take on this SPF:

• Moisturizing
• Broad Spectrum SPF 30
• Mineral Sunscreen (5.5% Titanium Dioxide, 10% Zinc Oxide)
• Contains 3 essential ceramides
• Contains Niacinamide
• Tinted (But looks orange!)
• No breakouts on my skin (made me breakout before, who knows, it’s working now)
• Feels sticky on the face
• Transfers onto surfaces, clothing

I’ll keep using the product. We’ll see how it goes…

Review: CeraVe Skin Renewing Vitamin C Serum

I finished using CeraVe Skin Renewing Vitamin C Serum. It lasted about 7-8 months. Just a guess. I’ve been using it on and off for a while. More on this product….

• Defends the skin against free radicals
• Antioxidant
• Skin brightening
• Improves the appearance of fine lines, dark circles, and uneven skin tone
• Contains 10% vitamin c (L-ascorbic acid)
• Visibly brighten complexion
• Soft, radiant, and healthy-looking skin
• Contains 3 essential ceramides to restore protective skin barrier
• Hyaluronic acid and vitamin B5 for hydration
• MVE Technology for controlled release for all day hydration
• For all skin types
• For sensitive skin
• Protective packaging to prevent oxidation
• Non-comedogenic
• Paraben-free
• Fragrance-free

I was very excited about this vitamin c serum since it contains 10% L-ascorbic acid, ceramides, and hyaluronic acid. After skimming the ingredient list, I noticed that it contains ingredients that are not suitable for my skin type. I didn’t use it on my face for that reason. I ended up using it on my neck and chest area only. Here are my thoughts on the CeraVe Skin Renewing Vitamin C Serum!

My Experience with CeraVe Skin Renewing Vitamin C Serum:

Texture & Application

As mentioned before, I didn’t use this vitamin c product on my face. The product contains denatured alcohol and isopropyl myristate. These ingredients are not compatible with my skin. Denatured alcohol dries my skin out and irritates it. Isopropyl myristate clogs my pores from my own personal experience. I debated whether to use the serum on my face or not. When I first purchased it, I was looking for a vitamin c serum that I could incorporate into my skincare routine. In the end, I decided not to. The idea floated in my mind for a bit. I wanted to make the right decision. I didn’t want to suffer from breakouts. So my experience using the CeraVe Skin Renewing Vitamin C Serum is on my body (neck and chest area).

The texture of the vitamin c serum is soft and smooth. It blends into the skin nicely and absorbs quickly. It’s very moisturizing. It didn’t leave my skin red, irritated, or dry. But, that’s just on my neck and chest skin. It could be different if I used it on my face, which is more sensitive compared to the skin on my neck and chest area. I really liked the texture and consistency of this product. It was very easy to use. Just dispense the product out of the tube and seal it with the cap. My skin didn’t turn orange using this serum either. It’s been a very nice experience using this vitamin c serum. I wish I could use it on my face. That will only happen if they remove the ingredients I mentioned.

It’s moisturizing!

Even though this vitamin c serum contains denatured alcohol, it’s moisturizing. My skin didn’t dry out or become irritated. I’m not going to test it on my face though. I wish I could, but it’s not going to happen.

Breakouts?

Same with breakouts, I didn’t see any breakouts on my neck or chest. But I don’t break out on my neck or chest often or at all. Once again, I would love to try it out on my face if it didn’t contain denatured alcohol and isopropyl myristate. Isopropyl myristate is at the end of the ingredient list, but I don’t want to bother with it and cause clogged pores. All products I have used in the past that contain isopropyl myristate ended up clogging my pores.

Results…

It’s difficult to tell if the vitamin c serum is doing anything for my neck and chest area. I guess it looks a little brighter and smoother. I can’t tell, haha. I enjoy using it. That’s all that really matters. I’ve had no issues like redness, itchiness, or any other signs of irritation. It’s a nice antioxidant product that’s moisturizing.

Final Thoughts

I didn’t use this product on my face, but my experience using it on my neck and chest area has been positive. It’s a nice moisturizing vitamin c product (10%) to incorporate in a skin care routine. I love that it contains 3 essential ceramides and hyaluronic acid. I wish CeraVe would reformulate the vitamin c serum and remove the 2 ingredients my skin dislikes (denatured alcohol and isopropyl myristate). Since I can’t use this vitamin c serum on my face, I most likely won’t purchase it again.

Review: CeraVe Makeup Removing Cleanser Balm

I tried CeraVe again. This time, it’s the CeraVe Makeup Removing Cleanser Balm. I haven’t used a cleansing balm in a while. It must’ve been months or years? I can’t remember. But here I am, trying out a CeraVe product. *dun dun dun* It’s kind of scary because I don’t have many good experiences with CeraVe.

CeraVe Makeup Removing Cleanser Balm comes in a tiny little jar. It’s really small. It’s only 1.3 oz. (36 g). I was appalled at the cost of the product. Why did I buy it? Hmmm! Because I was looking for a cleansing balm that was less messy and compact. I needed a product for travel. I usually use EVOO, but I wanted something new. I guess, haha. The purpose of this product is to remove makeup. It states that it contains 3 essential ceramides. Let’s take a look at the ingredients in this product little further…

Ingredients:

Ethylhexyl Palmitate, Polyethylene, Peg-20 Glyceryl Triisostearate, Aqua / Water / Eau, Ceramide Np, Ceramide Ap, Ceramide Eop, Carbomer, Triethyl Citrate, Sodium Lauroyl Lactylate, Cholesterol, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil / Jojoba Seed Oil, Phenoxyethanol, Tocopherol, Caprylyl Glycol, Phytosphingosine, Xanthan Gum, Polysorbate 20, Benzoic Acid, Peg-30 Dipolyhydroxystearate, Ppg-26-Buteth-26, Peg-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil.

I noticed that it has ethylhexyl palmitate as the first ingredient. It’s a highly comedogenic ingredient, but I’ve used a few products that contained this ingredient and didn’t experience any breakouts. Seems like a hit or miss. That was the only ingredient I was afraid of, but who knows what could happen.

My Experience

The cleansing balm doesn’t have fragrance, but it does have a scent. It smells like a bunch of chemicals mixed together, lol. It smells like an unscented product. That didn’t bother me at all. The product itself felt soft to touch. It melted in the palm of my hands. I waited for the cleansing balm to melt before applying it to my face. The directions of the cleansing balm states to massage gently onto dry skin in circular motions, rinse well, and pat dry. I prefer to melt the product in my hands first. That’s what I did.

The product felt soft, smooth, and didn’t tug at my skin. I loved it for that reason. It smooths over the skin and really does remove my makeup with little effort, especially my eye makeup (eyeliner, eyeshadow, mascara). The first time using it, I enjoyed it. I love how gentle and effortless it is. My makeup just came right off. Even after rinsing, my skin felt clean. It didn’t feel like I had excess residue left behind from the product. I didn’t use the cleansing balm by itself. I used my facial cleanser afterward just in case. I was afraid of clogging my pores with the cleansing balm.

This is what CeraVe Makeup Removing Cleanser Balm looks like:

After the first night of using CeraVe Makeup Removing Cleanser Balm, I noticed my skin was a little drier with some red blotches on some parts of my face. I didn’t think much of it. I thought it was from stress, so I kept using it. On days 2-3 I noticed similar results to the first time using it. Still, I didn’t think much of it.

On the 4th night, I noticed a few pimples. Some on my forehead and chin. I was very worried after this. Could it be from the CeraVe Makeup Removing Cleanser Balm? Could it?!! Hmmm! The next day (5th night), I used it again. This time I made sure to cleanse my face even more thoroughly after using the cleansing balm. I noticed more pimples and red blotches on my face. What is this crap? What is going on??!! I was so upset after this because my skin was fully clear. I stopped using it immediately. I love how it removes my makeup, but it gave me acne. What is it with CeraVe products that cause me to breakout so much?

Yes, CeraVe Makeup Removing Cleanser Balm clogged my pores even when I used a follow-up cleanser. Sheesh, never again. I’m stuck with a whole jar (tiny jar, lol) of the cleansing balm. I guess I can use it on my body to remove sunscreen or whatever. This was one of the worst breakouts I’ve had in a long time. Even the sunscreens I’ve tried this summer didn’t break me out this badly. This was much worse. My skin looked read, blotchy, and with bumps of clogged pores that I can pick out. Yuck, this stuff is gross. I’m not trying any more CeraVe products on my face. They all seem to suck.

But, it did a great job at removing my eye makeup without tugging the delicate eye skin. I’ll finish the rest as an eye makeup remover. Just not as a face makeup remover. Will I purchase again? I’m not sure. If it works for my eyes, I might. We’ll see when I finish the whole jar.

May & June Skin Care Empties

I’ve gone through a bunch of skin care products. Let’s get started!

Eucerin Q10 Anti-Wrinkle Face Cream:

I was able to finish one jar of Eucerin Q10 Anti-Wrinkle Face Cream. I have one more and am trying to finish that one too. So my thoughts on this product are not so good. I thought it was working out for me in the beginning, but it was making my skin worse. It didn’t leave my skin feeling moisturized either. Just greasy and oily. It made me break out as well. I tried using it only as an eye/neck cream. I didn’t like it as an eye cream. As a neck cream, it works, but it’s not the best, moisturizing neck cream I have used. The ingredients in this product are nice. It contains shea butter, beta-carotene, ubiquinone, and vitamin E, to name a few. It just didn’t live up to what it claims to do. I didn’t get any results from it but clogged pores and greasy skin.

The Ordinary Argireline Solution 10%:

This serum has a watery texture that easily absorbs into the skin. It’s supposed to help with dynamic lines on the forehead and smile lines. I didn’t see any results using it. I loved how fast it absorbs and isn’t sticky on the skin, but it did nothing for me. I have one more bottle of the serum that I’m still trying to use up.

Neutrogena Sheer Zinc Face Mineral Sunscreen SPF 50:

I was so happy when I finished a bottle of this sunscreen. It’s taking me forever to finish it up for many reasons. Honestly, I really don’t like this sunscreen. It smells awful, feels greasy and heavy on the skin, leaves an obvious white cast, clogs my pores, and is difficult to spread on the skin. I love that it’s 21.6% Zinc Oxide and is SPF 50, but I stopped using it on my face for the reasons mentioned. It feels very uncomfortable on the skin. I have one more bottle of this sunscreen and won’t repurchase it when I finish it. I don’t even know how I’m going to use the last bottle. Wish me luck!

The Ordinary Amino Acids + B5:

I’m done with The Ordinary Amino Acids + B5! This is my last bottle and I’m over it! It did NOTHING for my skin. It feels like I’m applying expensive water to my face. I will not repurchase. What a waste of money!

The Ordinary Resveratrol 3% Ferulic Acid 3%:

I finished another bottle of The Ordinary Resveratrol 3% Ferulic Acid 3%. I don’t really hate this serum. It just didn’t work on my face. It’s too greasy and oily. It made me break out. I didn’t know I was breaking out from using it until I stopped using it. It was one of the many causes of my breakouts. But, I started using it on my body consistently instead. I really like it as a body serum. Not too bad. So I stopped using it on my face and kept using it on my body instead. I might keep using it for that reason. I have a few bottles left to test it out and see if I like it.

Skin79 Super+ Beblesh Balm Orange:

I’ve been using this bb cream for years and finally finished my last bottle of the product. I noticed that I stopped getting breakouts from it after I started using my acne cream. This isn’t a bad bb cream. It’s one of my favorites, but it’s not like what it used to be. I love how it controls oil on my skin. I have very oily skin and this bb cream seems to work for my skin type. But, the one I received was much different. I have a sample of this bb cream and it seems to have a different texture compared to the full-size bottle that I just finished up. Maybe I received a fake? Maybe they changed the formula? I don’t know. I think it’s time to move on to something new…

Andalou Naturals Clear Skin Kombucha Enzyme Exfoliating Mask:

I haven’t talked about this product yet. I was going to, but I got really busy. So this is an exfoliating mask. I’ve been using it to just use it up, lol. It contains argan stem cells, grapefruit kombucha, pineapple, and papaya enzymes to exfoliate and dissolve dull, dry surface cells. It’s supposed to help unclog pores and help with breakouts. I didn’t see any results from this exfoliating mask. It was fun to use, but that’s about it. I wouldn’t waste my money on it again.

CeraVe Hydrating Mineral Face Sheer Tint:

Another product that I wished I didn’t stock up on, lol. It’s the CeraVe Hydrating Face Sheer Tint. This sunscreen product is awful on my skin. I was a dedicated user. In the end, it caused me to break out without realizing that it was one of the main causes of my breakouts. I even tried it again and noticed breakouts. What is it with CeraVe that causes my skin to dislike it so much? Since it causes acne, I’ve been trying to use it up, but it’s been a pain in the butt. I wouldn’t recommend this to anyone with acne-prone skin. Do a patch test first to see if you have any reactions to it. I wished I did.

Canmake Mermaid Skin Gel UV SPF 50+ PA++++:

No more leftovers of this sunscreen! I finished them all!!!! It didn’t work for me at all. It dries out my skin, leaves my skin looking like plastic, and sun protection is poor (didn’t work for me). I noticed it making my skin look very aged. It must be the dryness or something. I tried using it with a moisturizer underneath. That didn’t work either. This sunscreen product is just not for me. Very overhyped for the price. Not worth it, in my opinion.

Purito Centella Green Level Buffet Serum:

I shouldn’t have bought so many of the Purito Centella Green Level Buffet Serum. It is a calming and soothing serum, but it didn’t do much for my facial skin. I’ve been using the rest of what I have. I’ve been very generous with it too. This serum sucks. I’m over it and just in the process of finishing them up and tossing them out, haha.

The Ordinary Caffeine Solution 5% + EGCG:

I was going to keep The Ordinary Caffeine Solution 5% + EGCG in my routine, but I never saw any true results with this eye serum. I just wanted it to work and kept using it. It feels pretty drying too even with moisturizer. I gave up on it. Here’s to another product that I’m trying to finish up. I think I have at least 1 more bottle of this serum left…

Eucerin Advanced Hydration SPF 50 Sunscreen Spray with Hyaluronic Acid + Humectants:

I’m not big on spray sunscreens but gave this one a shot. I thought it could work on my face. The sunscreen sprayed out nicely and was very easy to use, but it felt and looked greasy on my skin. It burned my eyes. It has a strong sunscreen smell to it. This would work better as a body sunscreen than a sunscreen for the face. Since it’s alcohol-free, it feels greasy as mentioned. I was hoping that it would work on my facial skin. Oh well. Moving on…

Banana Boat Ultra Sport Sunscreen Stick Broad Spectrum SPF 50+:

I finally finished my last tube of this sunscreen stick. It’s not for me. It’s greasy and oily. It gets everywhere. It feels sticky on the skin. I just didn’t like it. I can’t imagine using this on a daily basis. Maybe if I’m at the beach but there are so many options out there that I’m not even thinking about purchasing this sunscreen again.

Up & Up Sport Sunscreen Lip: Balm Broad Spectrum SPF 50:

This is my current lip balm with SPF 50. It’s cheap. lol, that’s the reason why I use it. I would love to switch over to a mineral-based sunscreen, but I haven’t found one that works for me. It is what it is. It’s a lip balm with SPF.

Trader Joe’s Daily Facial Sunscreen Broad Spectrum SPF 40:

I ran out of Trader Joe’s Daily Facial Sunscreen Broad Spectrum SPF 40! I’m not sure if I’m going to pick up some more. My current SPF product is working for me, and I just don’t feel like going to the store to get more, haha. But, this sunscreen is pretty decent. I wish the SPF was a little higher.

Altruist Sunscreen SPF 50:

I finished my second bottle of Altruist Sunscreen SPF 50. I don’t use this sunscreen on my facial skin. I use it around my eyes. It’s greasy on my face but works on the skin around my eyes and neck, so that’s what I use it for. I’m not even sure I’m going to stick with it. I have 2 more bottles left and just using it because it’s supposed to be a high UVA sunscreen. We’ll see if it works or not!

GUERISSON 9 Complex Cream:

I’m glad to be done with this cream. It didn’t do much for my skin. It’s a pretty heavy product. I honestly don’t care much for it. I almost forgot about it and decided to slather my body with it for weeks until the jar was empty. Wouldn’t purchase it again, to be honest.

Coppertone Defend & Care Clear Zinc 50:

Another sunscreen that I finished. Coppertone Defend & Care Clear Zinc 50 smells like plastic and left a white cast on my skin. I used most of it on my body since my face hated it. It’s not a sunscreen that I would purchase again. It’s affordable, but I can’t stand using it. It wasn’t an enjoyable experience.

PanOxyl Acne Creamy Wash (4%):

I was hoping that a benzoyl peroxide-based face wash would work instead of my current face wash. It didn’t work. PanOxyl did nothing for my skin. It didn’t even clean it well. I’m better off sticking to benzoyl peroxide topical treatments to target my acne-prone skin. This face wash may work for others, but it didn’t for me.

Neutrogena Stubborn Acne AM Treatment:

Love this product. It cleared my skin after months of using it. I noticed results very early on (a few weeks). It sinks into the skin nicely and doesn’t leave residue behind. I love it. I’m currently using it in the morning to control sebum and prevent breakouts while using SPF. My sunscreens tend to be greasier and the acne treatment helps to decrease the grease on my face, haha. I finished one bottle of the acne treatment. Now I’m on to my second bottle! Wow, this stuff is amazing at fighting acne. I’m going to keep using it.

La Roche-Posay Anthelios Body & Face Mineral Sunscreen Gentle Lotion SPF 50:

I thought this would be my HG sunscreen, but I’m so over it. It’s a mineral sunscreen and I really wanted it to work. The texture of the sunscreen is very soft, smooth, and elegant. It’s easy to blend into the skin. It does leave a white cast on the skin, which I didn’t like. It’s a very noticeable white cast. I prefer a more moisturizing sunscreen that doesn’t leave my skin looking extremely white. This was just too much and noticeable. It’s quite embarrassing. I can’t go anywhere using this sunscreen. It’s hilarious, haha.

Aussie Total Miracle Conditioner with Apricot For Damage Hair:

I was able to finish the Aussie Conditioner (Apricot). Another brand that I’m over with. The conditioner didn’t do much for my hair. It feels like it’s moisturizing when I’m using it, but it left my hair looking frizzy and gross afterward. I didn’t like the results of it. I guess it’s affordable for a reason. Next…

Catch up on my skin care empties right here!

August Skin Care Empties! 

September Skin Care Empties 

November Skin Care Empties 

December Skin Care Empties 

More December Skin Care Empties!

January Skin Care Empties!

February Skin Care Empties

March & April Skin Care Empties!

Tried CeraVe Hydrating Mineral Face Sheer Tint Again & Here’s My Experience

I stopped using CeraVe Hydrating Mineral Face Sheer Tint months ago due to breakouts and whatnot. I can’t believe I’m here talking about CeraVe again. 😑 So once I finished Neutrogena Visibly Even Daily Moisturizer SPF 30. I mainly used it as a moisturizer or as a sunscreen for indoors. Too bad this product has been discontinued after years of being a dedicated user. I only used it because it didn’t cause major breakouts. But, I’m not going to miss it too much. It didn’t really help to protect my skin from intense UV rays. *ahem* I developed freckles while using it. BUT! Here I am with CeraVe Hydrating Mineral Face Sheer Tint! I despised this sunscreen for a while. But why am I thinking about using it again after being traumatized by it? That’s right. I have too many bottles of this sunscreen. I went overboard and purchased them thinking that it was working for my skin! And it’ll be a waste to let them all expire. So let’s use them up.

I’ve used CeraVe for 4 days already. Here are my thoughts on the sunscreen!

1. The shade/color of the tinted sunscreen.

The shade/color of the sunscreen is darker than my natural complexion. In my opinion, this sunscreen will be more suitable for individuals with a medium complexion. I’m on the fair side and noticed my complexion became duller after application. My face looked really orange too. When I reapplied the sunscreen, it made my skin look even more dull and orange. I can’t believe I lasted this long using this sunscreen, lol. It’s so embarrassing thinking about it now, haha. The tint just didn’t work for me. I wish CeraVe had a wider shade range. Also, even when I blend in the sunscreen, it doesn’t provide much coverage but deposited some color in my skin. Hope that makes sense!

2. Burns a little bit.

The first application was odd. My skin burned a little bit. I’m not sure if it’s because I’m using an acne cream, or it’s the sunscreen burning my skin. The burning sensation disappeared after the first day. I noticed some redness in my skin too after removing the sunscreen as well.

3. Greasy on the skin.

The product claims to be lightweight and provides a non-greasy feel. That’s a lie. It’s not lightweight. It’s not non-greasy. The sunscreen is not lightweight unless you are under-applying it. On my skin, it felt pretty greasy, shiny, and felt heavy on the skin. This sunscreen isn’t good for reapplying throughout the day. I can’t imagine reapplying it due to the greasiness of it. Gross.

4. Not sweat-proof.

I didn’t use this sunscreen for outdoor activities. Honestly, I wouldn’t. It’s not meant for intense outdoor activities. I wouldn’t rely on it to protect my skin. Just a heads up that it’s not sweat-proof. If you’re a heavy sweater, it’s best to choose a sunscreen that’s labeled sweat-proof or water-proof.

5. Brightens the skin.

I noticed a brighter complexion after 2 days of using it. My skin tone was more even, and it helped to fade some acne scars just a little bit. I really liked this aspect of the sunscreen. It contains niacinamide to brighten the skin.

6. Breakouts?

So after 4 days of using the sunscreen. I developed a cyst and a tiny little pimple on my face. I’m still trying to get rid of the swollen cyst on my face that developed from using the CeraVe Hydrating Mineral Face Sheer Tint. After my experience using the sunscreen again, it broke me out. I can’t believe I used this sunscreen for months! It was breaking me out the whole time! Ugh! But now I know that it did cause breakouts. I’m currently trying to use the rest of it on my body to get rid of it.

As with all of the other times, CeraVe Hydrating Mineral Face Sheer Tint does not work on my skin. Just like all of the other CeraVe skincare products I have used…